Unchanged
by Shura Pirate
Summary: Set after the series: Most people thought that Leon Oswald was a changed man after the Swan Lake performances. But what if they were wrong? What if he remained selfish and his heart still unmoved? What would that mean for Sora when he comes into contact with her? Rating more for subject matter than language.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This was going to go in _Opposites_, but I felt that it didn't fit for that.

Here's an attempt at melodrama/angst. Not meant to be sweet.

Set after the series.

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There were many things that did not make sense.

How could it rain yet there still be sun streaming through? Why did Kalos, the owner of the Kaleido Stage, risk bringing the God of Death to his stage? It seemed to him that Kalos was not surprised by his other nickname, leading him to believe that the owner had already been aware of it.

Leon couldn't figure that one out, but there was something even more puzzling than that.

Why was Sora, of all the people in Cape Mary - of all the females around the stage - why was she the one that his mind set upon chasing?

He heard the talk around the stage after Swan Lake. They thought he had a change of heart and was now a "good guy" or some nonsense like that. They were all so sure that he was turning over a new leaf especially after his life story was known to the main cast.

How naive he thought them to be.

Why would any of that make him change who he is and so suddenly too? It just didn't make any sense to him. He was selfish, anti-social, and skilled. He didn't care about others in the way Sora did; he thought about how they could serve his purposes and needs.

He had one need in particular that was calling for his attention.

His grey eyes, sharp as ever, watched her walk by. Her costume for Christine was temptation from head to toe: her hair was piled up to reveal her neck and pinned with a rose so dark that it looked to be black. The dress's white lacy straps - if he could even call them straps - never stayed up for very long and showed her petite shoulders. He could see the top curves of her bosom and if it weren't for the black laced corset, she'd be revealing a whole lot more than what was proper - though her outfit was already playing with that boundary. The yellow skirt of the dress was like the color of saffron, the foreign spice that was coveted in days of old. Her shoes were not remarkable, but the black straps that wove around her calves drove him wild.

He looked over her again and again, turning his head so he could look as she went around the corner.

Whatever the reason, whatever the enchantment, he knew that he could not leave this need unfulfilled.

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There was immense heat on the stage.

Sora felt it the most as Leon stood behind her on the tightropes with his black outfit and great big cape. A white mask covered half of his face, though the uncovered part was in her view. And what a sight she saw, his grey eye a darker color than she had recalled it being but also looking at her with unmasked want. His original ensemble had gloves, but after refusing to wear them Mia gave up trying to force it. She had not known why Leon was being so picky about the gloves back then.

Now she knew why as his hand touched her bare shoulders and ran along her collarbone.

Her breath hitched as his fingers grazed the top of a breast, but only for a moment.

With gloves, he could hardly touch her like this and get her to react in the way that she did, though he wasn't as bold as he was today. He suddenly whirled her around to face him. She instinctively put her hands on his chest to balance herself and looked up at him only for her to stay trapped in his heated gaze.

His lips curved in satisfaction. She had the feeling that she was doomed, though she didn't know why.

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After the show, he paid a visit to her dressing room.

She had not changed or even gotten her make-up off yet when he knocked. She blinked as he walked in and leaned against her dressing table. His mask was off and the grotesque stage make-up that deformed half of his face had been taken off as well. She didn't know how he could do that so fast, but she did not wonder about it for long.

When she closed the door and faced him, his lidded eyes had her transfixed.

"You reacted when I touched you," he rumbled out.

She swallowed hard. "Aren't I supposed to?"

"Perhaps." His lips curved again, both foreboding and sensual. "But I do not think to the extent you did."

She nervously tucked some hair behind her ear. The conversation was turning into dangerous waters, especially since she has not been in such a position before. It was new, but she could not say that she was unaffected by it.

"Do you have a reason for coming here?"

He nonchalantly shrugged. She pursed her painted lips at him.

Her action caught his eye and he stared at the morsel. She relaxed her lips upon seeing his face, her pulse thudding wildly. He stood up and stopped in front of her, taking her chin in his hand.

"I come to see if I can be of use to you, seeing as I have a similar affliction," he murmured in a lower octave. His thumb brushed her lip and he saw her eyes widen and then darken in color. He smiled and released her chin. "I can help you, if you'll let me."

"Help me how?" she asked before she could stop herself.

He gave her a knowing look, filled with dark understanding and the promises of the forbidden, especially for someone as sweet as she. But he did not say any of this, instead grabbing her wrist and bringing her arm to his mouth. His lips slowly, agonizingly, trailed along the soft, sensitive side of her arm and he delighted when goosebumps appeared on her skin and she shivered hard, her red lips parting as she exhaled a long breath.

"Do you like that?" he lowly asked even though he could tell that she did.

She took in a breath as he did it again, this time starting from the wrist down and when he reached the crook of her arm his tongue came out with a painfully long swirl. The heated moisture made her gasp and he reveled in it, his eyes taking in the invading desire that filled her face.

His lips continued their pleasurable torture up her arm and over her shoulder; she fell limp against him, her eyes half closed and her lips staying parted as she panted from the onslaught of desire. A phrase played over and over again in her mind as he sucked on her neck and his hand came to slip down her dress for an unrestricted feel of her soft breast.

_The point of no return..._

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They stumbled into his apartment still in costume.

His boldness in her dressing room left no time to change. His fingers undid the lacing of her corset as his tongue went between her lips. Her hands had already unclasped his cloak and were now along his neck as his mouth consumed her, taking all that she had. She was new to all of this he could tell, but instead of it diminishing the encounter it only fueled his arousal.

He will help her in this way as well.

"Touch me," he heatedly murmured against her mouth, "I need to feel your hands."

Her face was already flushed, but his words deepened the color. Hesitantly, her hands moved slowly from his neck, down to the opening of his black shirt and along his chest.

"Good," he huskily said.

She continued going down, pausing to unbutton his shirt and then slipped her hands past the material. She felt his heated flesh, the bumps where his ribs were and the firm muscle of his torso. His eyes closed as she went and he ran his tongue along hers in approval.

She mewled in his mouth and brushed her tongue against his.

His hand went underneath her skirt and tugged at her waistband. She sharply gasped as he pressed against her, her mouth tearing away from his as he did the motion again.

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On his bed they moved.

He kept her pinned beneath him as he took his fill, unrelenting in his pace. She cried out at his rough handling, though by how hard her nails were piercing his skin she was undoubtedly drawing blood, however slight it was.

Technically, he drew blood from her first...

Her eyes tightly shut at the painful pleasure. She couldn't help but think it strange that he had not kissed her once they came into his bedroom. Even now his face was away from her view, making her feel a little despondent.

She didn't think it would be like this but there was a lot she didn't know about. Though she had thought he would have been gentler in the beginning of the love making.

_Was it love making_...?

She didn't think further on that with the wave of feeling crashing over her, making her arch and gasp for air.

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After he caught his breath, he stood up.

She was still gathering herself when he went into the bathroom and shortly came out with a pair of pajama pants on. She sat up to ask him something, but he left the bedroom.

He came in with her clothing and tossed it on the bed. "You can go now."

She clutched the sheet to herself in a moment of insecurity. "But it's the middle of the night."

He gave a half shrug. "The bus is still running."

Her lips parted in horrible realization. Her eyes prickled with coming tears as she realized what this was to him. It had not been about romance, attraction, or any interest beyond this moment in time.

"You used me," her voice trembled out.

His eyes slid over to her. "So did you."

Her back stiffened at that. Did she really do the same thing as him? Was she as terrible as the God of Death? She didn't want to think that she was; she did feel a genuine attraction to him.

She had even thought she was starting to move beyond liking him...

Her lips formed a thin line as she glared at him. "I'm not like you."

He crossed his arms. "Regardless, you came here of your own will."

She knew that what he said was true. He seduced and she followed, heedless of the warning signs along the way. She stood up with the sheet around her and grabbed her clothing.

"I will not do so again," she promised, and then went into the bathroom.

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Hair a mess and feeling unclean, she still held her head up as she walked out of the bathroom.

She passed Leon lying on the bed with his back to her.

Inside, she was a walking storm of hurt and her body was sore from their activities. She walked through the dark apartment and tripped on something on the ground. She fell to the carpet and some frustrated tears slipped out at the timing of her clumsiness. She wanted to leave here with _some _of her dignity still intact and tripping was certainly not helping.

"You break anything," Leon drawled from the bedroom, "you're replacing it."

"_Teme,_" she said under her breath.

Some more tears fell down her cheek and she harshly wiped them off of her face. She pulled her phone from her bag and with the light of her phone she noticed that she had tripped over Leon's costume. She was tempted to rip it, but knew that it would only trouble the people in the costume department. Standing up, she used her phone to navigate to the front door.

Even with the light, she managed to bump into the small table by the exit. She nearly cried out loud but swallowed the sound, not wanting him to hear anything else from her except the door.

As her hand straightened the table, her eyes spotted his wallet and keys.

She was about to grab his keys, but thought better on it, seeing as the jingling would bring him over. Without hesitating, she grabbed his wallet instead, taking out all the cash and credit cards inside and placed it back on the table.

She opened the front door and slammed it shut.

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Along the way to the bus stop, she chucked his credit cards on the streets, bushes, and into trashcans.

His photo id she gave to some shifty looking guy in the shadows as well as his platinum credit card. The guy left her alone, figuring that the unexpected gifts were worthy of a 'walk by without harassment'.

_Suck on that, Leon._

She hoped he liked the taste of identity theft because she wasn't letting him near her again. Realistically, they were partners so he would be near her often. She hugged herself at the thought, not wanting to think about that right now.

Maybe she could take a break or let May be his partner from now on...

The bus came close. She pocketed a few dollar bills from the cash she took from Leon's wallet and gave the rest to a homeless guy sleeping on the bench. As she sat on the bus and blankly stared out the window, she felt so downtrodden and shaken in what she thought she knew about people.

He had been changing...hadn't he? Or did she only see what she wanted to see?

She started to whimper, but seeing her reflection made her stop. Her eyes looked a little hollow and her lashes clung to each other from her dried tears. She got a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes with it; then she blew her nose. Her head rested on the bus window as she waited for her stop.

Obviously, she had been wrong about him.

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AN: I honestly don't know if I'll continue this so for now it will be labelled as complete.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: People have expressed interest in seeing this continued, so it will be.

So let's see where this will go. XP I cannot say where it will head towards at this point in time, so it's a journey for you all and for me.

Side note: I see them as older in this fic - Sora's 19 or 20. Leon's 3 or 4 years older.

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For once, Sora was glad that it was so late at night.

No one was around to see the state she was in. No awkward questions about why she was still in her costume or why her hair and face were such messes. She avoided the elevator and quietly walked up the stairwell. A cool wind came and she shivered hard, not having a sweater on her. She hadn't thought she'd needed one or else she would have brought the one she kept in her dressing room.

She thought she'd be indoors, where it was nice and warm.

Not out here where the usually breezy ocean wind now chilled her to the heart.

She slid her key into her door with stiff fingers and turned the knob. Then, she entered and double locked her door, something she had not done before.

She felt very vulnerable right now.

Numbly, she dropped her bag by the door and made her way to the bathroom. She didn't venture to look at the mirror, not wanting to see the damage so clearly etched on her face. Quickly, she removed her clothing, trying not to think about how he had taken it all off earlier that night and how his hands had felt along her skin.

What had once felt pleasurable now turned her stomach.

She stepped out the dress with a speed she hadn't know and the shower was turned to almost full blast. She stood in the shower with the water spraying her face as she tilted her head to the water.

_Wash it off, _she silently pleaded.

But she could not erase the memory of his hands, nor his tongue, teeth or lips. His eyes were permanently in her mind as if he had etched them there himself.

_"Do you like that?" he rumbled out._

Her hands clasped over her ears. _I don't want to hear your lies. _His voice had sounded soothing and promising, yet he had only said and done things to get her to do what he wanted.

_"You can go now," he said, tossing her clothing on the bed._

Her teeth clenched and angry tears spilled out of her tightly closed eyes. He had treated her like she was below him, and there for his pleasure. _Like you hired me_, she bitterly thought, _and I left like you told me to._

Staying would have been worse, but she hated that she had obeyed.

Frustrated, she grabbed her loofah sponge and squirted out some body wash. She scrubbed her skin, tears still coming out especially when she spotted a few love bites along her body.

_Hickeys, _she corrected. They couldn't be love bites.

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At lunchtime, May corner Sora outside the cafeteria.

"What's up with you? Something's different in a bad way."

Sora sighed. _Of course May noticed. _She could read her body language better than her other friends, despite having known each other for the shortest amount of time.

Sora was ready to tell May to mind her own business when she hesitated.

Out of all her friends, May would understand. She had been infatuated with Leon once, had even been his partner for a while. May could give her vital advice about how to continue being his partner without letting him get to her.

How wrong Sora had been, and she was about to find out.

"Can we talk, just between us?"

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May silently took in all that Sora had to say, the blubbering mess that it was.

Wordlessly, May took out her napkin and handed it over. Sora wiped her face with it, too tired to be embarrassed in front of May.

"I didn't think you'd fall for it too," May sighed.

Sora stilled. "You mean, you and him...?"

May rolled her eyes as the redhead trailed off. "I had sex with him," she bluntly stated what Sora omitted. She leaned on her hand in irritation. "He was a hot vampire. How could I not?" She ignored Sora's squeak and went on. "Though, he hadn't been the one to approach."

"May!"

"Oh come on!" May snapped. "I was hot and bothered, he was there and willing. What was I supposed to do, _not _approach him?!"

_'Yes!'_ Sora had been ready to snap back. But given what she had done, she'd only be a hypocrite...

"I don't know," Sora morosely murmured.

May's frown relaxed at the pitiful response. May sighed again, calming herself down from her yelling. "Look," May said, "There are some people that just have sex, ok? Call them what you want, put whatever label on them if it'll make you feel any better but it happens."

"How is that ok?" Sora groused.

May huffed. "I didn't say it was 'right' or whatever. I just said that it happens."

Both young women were quiet.

"But why?"

May's mouth turned down and she pointedly didn't look at Sora.

"Maybe a few times it was just the physical," May admitted as she reflected on the past, "but the other times...I was looking for a connection with him and he seemed to like it. It had appeared that something was shifting between us..."

Sora stiffened with that. May hadn't noticed.

After another few moments of silence, May suddenly looked up at her. Sora sat up straight as May's intense stare had her fixed in place. Sora didn't know what was running through May's mind.

"...I misunderstood what I saw," May murmured. "Why do you think I got so upset with him when he wrenched my arm?"

May stood up and smoothed out her skirt.

"In the end, I realized that I was like him," May idly said. "I think that's what upset me more."

May left. Sora continued to sit down.

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	3. Chapter 3

AN: Sorry for the long wait! These past few weeks have been pretty busy, so I'll make this a longer chapter. Thank you for the reviews! I know it's definitely a different take of SXL, but thanks for the support! :3

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That morning, Leon woke up and rolled onto his back only to feel a slight stinging.

He had forgotten about that.

With a grunt, he fully sat up and went into the bathroom. He took off his pants and went into the shower as was his usual morning routine. He hissed a little when the warm water hit his back, the minor stinging now a throbbing sensation.

He hadn't realized the cat had claws.

He shook his head at the thought. _Just by looking at her, I wouldn't have assumed that._ But then again he hadn't been completely sure that she would have followed him last night, leading him to believe that what he didn't know about her was turning out to be the same old story - she was not so different from the others after all.

He stared at the shining silver waterspout as the sting numbed out as the water fell. Lulled by the water, he soon felt her phantom hands on him, her inexperienced but curious fingers going over his skin and following muscle with a desire to know him through the sense of touch...

His grey eyes narrowed at the recollection and the brief heat the memory brought. He scoffed to himself, easily dismissing it in order to continue with his shower.

_It was the same old routine._

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Despite his initial dismissal of her while showering, when he got out and dressed in his bedroom, she came into his mind again. He frowned to himself, dressed, and then went into the living room to pick up his costume on the living room floor. On the floor next to his costume he spotted a red something nearby. He picked it up and turned the chap stick over to read the 'cherry' flavor on the label.

He slipped it in his pocket and then straightened up.

_Coffee is going to be needed today._

He sighed as the lingering taste of cherry lips was replaced with the idea of black coffee and cream. Automatically, he grabbed his keys and wallet on the small table and then closed his door.

He couldn't stop himself from recalling the slamming sound from last night.

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The morning was progressing to be a slow one.

Leon crossed his arms as he waited in line, only three other people were in front of him but the customer at the counter kept changing his order. _Make a choice and stick with it,_ he silently glowered at the front. He couldn't see what was so difficult about it; being fickle only made things messy in the end.

If a man likes strong coffee, go with black.

If he can't handle that, then add lots of cream and sugar.

That was the decision at the barest of forms. Once a person knows what they like, they should stay with that combination until they know how to manipulate the drink. For Leon, it took him a while to see that he couldn't stand plain black coffee. Once he realized that, he added some cream until he found out that he only needed half a cream container.

He has been doing this for several years now; he found no reason to change what he liked.

The line moved forward, the man at the counter choosing a cup of grey earl tea instead. Leon exhaled a breath as they moved again, the people before him knowing what they wanted. _This is how it should be. _No muss, no fuss, and most important of all: no second guessing.

"A medium black coffee," Leon said as he grabbed a creamer with one hand and pulled out his wallet with the other.

"$5.75," he heard the cashier say as he opened his black leather wallet only to find his credit cards missing.

Leon frowned and looked at where he kept the cash only to see that section empty as well. He put his hand in his other pocket to see if he happened to have some loose bills in his pants, but only pulled out the chap stick he found this morning. His eyes narrowed into slits as he took in the smiley cherry on the label beaming up at him.

It would appear that this cat did more than scratch.

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May stormed down the hallway of the dressing rooms, intent on finding her target.

Wardrobe said that Leon dropped off his outfit an hour ago and they had just delivered a backup one for the late afternoon show. Seeing the severe scowl on May's face, they knew better than to ask why May wanted to know where Leon was.

Leon's dressing room was closed and the lights were on, judging by the faint glow on the floor.

"Leon!" May knocked hard on his door. "I know you're in there!"

There was no response, though she did hear him speaking but it was too faint for her to hear. _Ignoring me, are you?_ May felt her temper rise as she glared at his name in black bold letters on the golden star hanging on the door. _  
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"You stupid son of a bitch!" She hollered as her fist slammed on the door. "Open up right now or else I'll - "

May nearly pitched forward as the door suddenly opened, Leon half in costume with his phone to his ear and a deep frown on his face. He tugged her arm none too gently and May came in stumbling, nearly crashing into his chair as he let go of her in order to close the door.

"What are you - " May started with a huff, but halted when he raised a hand up to stop her speech. She crossed her arms, realizing that he will not talk to her until he was done with whatever business he had on the phone. "Ass," she bit out, but simply sat down on his chair as he continued to ignore her. He let her inside the room and she wasn't planning on leaving until she's said her piece.

Leon heavily sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. So far, his cards were spread out in different directions, meaning that multiple people had his information. He already cancelled one card and the other ones were pending, but the platinum card was proving to be difficult seeing as the purchases signed off looked identical to his own signature. He was sure that was because his id has his signature on it, therefore making it easier for the thief to forge it. From what he could tell, there was going to be an investigation but until then, he couldn't use that card.

Unfortunately for him, that was the one he used the most for it had the most credit.

"How long will this go for?" Leon rumbled out.

_"Well, Mr. Oswald, we're doing everything that we can to insure that this matter is stopped and the thieves apprehended. We're working with the proper authorities to catch these people and - "_

"You don't know," Leon flatly stated.

There was a sigh on the line. _"We don't know, Mr. Oswald. But rest assured - "_

Leon hung up, having heard enough. He tossed his phone on the dressing table, not caring that it bumped into his face makeup and tipped over some containers. May watched as some cover up rolled off the table and onto the floor.

"Bad day?" May asked as Leon rubbed his eyes with his thumb and middle finger.

"Obviously," he bit out.

May crossed her leg, the costume of the Prima Donna's gaudy red dress riding dangerously up and exposing most of her thigh. "Good," she sneered out. "It's the least you can do."

Leon stopped rubbing his eyes to look at her. May's crossed arms pushed her breasts up a little, the low cut of the top showing them more than what was appropriate. But it was not her chest that had Leon's focus; no, her electric blue eyes spoke of a painful death and some hidden sympathy - he knew the latter was not for him, but the first emotion most definitely was.

His face smoothed over, his earlier frustration and stress going behind the wall of stoicism.

May's eyes narrowed for a few seconds and then relaxed as she continued to stay silent, though by the way she stared at his wall, he knew she was thinking about something.

"You remember when I accused you of cheating on me?"

Leon scoffed. May rolled her eyes.

"The second time," she flatly added, "back when we were doing Romeo and Juliet."

Leon sat on the edge of the dressing table. "I believe I told you that I was not interested in a relationship."

"You and your stupid corrections," May muttered under her breath. "Fine. Do you remember," she restarted unnecessarily, "when we were fooling around during Romeo and Juliet? Do you remember what I screamed at you that one time, late at night, when you were leaving my room?"

Leon stayed silent; not that May was surprised.

"I stepped out to give you your jacket," she went on, "only to find you staring across the way at Sora, yet again." May leaned her head back as she thought about back then. "I couldn't figure out why you stared at her so much. At first, I thought you were bored, then after the whole Circus Festival thing, I thought it was that she was more talented than me somehow."

May lifted her head a little to look at him, seeing him stare at the blank wall above her head. She'd think he had an aversion to women if she didn't know better...

"You wanted her. Back then I could see it in your face," May started up again, "even after sex a few minutes ago, you wanted her." May bitterly scoffed, "Even now, you'd rather stare at a wall than me."

Leon did look at her at the odd show of vulnerability, but May was quick to push it aside. She easily stood up, any signs of past hurts locked away and her earlier rage resurfacing. Boldly, she went up to him and stared straight at his face.

"I told you then Sora wasn't like you or me," she gritted out, pressing a finger hard onto his chest, "She won't do things half heartedly. _She can't,_" May stressed, "I warned you that she doesn't think like we do, but you _ignored_ that warning." Her hand fisted his black tank, wishing that it was his neck, "You screwed up, you ass. You're responsible for any dire changes in her because you can't keep it in your pants!"

Leon's eyes dangerously narrowed.

Swiftly, he brushed her aside despite the tight hold she had on his shirt. "She shouldn't have followed me," Leon impassively stated, "if she can't handle these things. It's moot to blame me for such changes, if they even occur."

Leon opened the door. May scowled, walked over to the door and showed him one particular finger before closing it herself.

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The late noon show was minutes from starting. Everyone waited in their positions, including the leads, Sora and Leon.

The stars did not speak.

However, after another minute Sora turned to him and shoved his gloves into his hands. He raised a brow at her behavior. She narrowed her eyes at him and then looked away. "Wear them or else," she quietly threatened. She couldn't handle another show with his calloused hands rubbing against her skin.

She didn't need anymore reminders of her mistake.

"Or what?" he asked, turning his head to the side to look at some random person walking by, "You'll key my car as well?"

Her face unwillingly turned back to his, recognizing his disapproving tone. _He's finally bringing up his missing credit cards._ A part of her wanted a verbal fight. She wanted to scream at him, yell about what a horrible person he was right in front of all their co-workers. She wanted to claw his eyes out so he couldn't look at her ever again. She wanted to do these things so badly, she had even raised her hand up to scratch his face.

But then her hand halted.

She trembled and felt her eyes sting. _Why can't I do it?_ She would be completely justified in doing any of the things she wanted to do, wouldn't she? Anyone else would have probably not given any of this a second thought and started screaming and clawing already. She was hurting and she didn't want to continue hurting.

_"Some people just have sex, ok?" May had told her. "I didn't say it was 'right' or whatever."_

May said that _some _people think that way...some didn't see anything wrong with it.

Sora knew now that she was staring at someone that thought that way. He wanted sex and he got it, doing what he knew would get her to cave in, though she couldn't say that she was blameless in this scenario no matter how easily she wanted to just shove it all on him.

_I also wanted it too, to some degree. _Her hand faltered at the realization. Call it lovemaking or sex but don't they both mean intercourse?

Her hand fell back to her side.

Leon had caught the movement of her hand in the corner of his eyes and prepared himself for a slap in the face, but he was surprised to see that she lowered her hand without doing any physical harm. He watched as she took a shaky breath in, her eyes glossy but no tears fell down.

"Just wear the darn gloves," she said.

He did not move for a few seconds, then, without looking at his hands, he slipped his gloves on. Once he had them on, she turned away and walked over to her starting spot. Discretely - though he noticed - she carefully wiped her eyes, making sure not to mess up her stage makeup.

May's words from earlier rang in his head, telling him that Sora was not like them. He recalled the instance May had brought up when he saw Sora across the way from May's dorm room, balancing on a ladder as she climbed up to the roof. There was a blanket folded over her shoulder and the strap of a thermos around the other. He idly registered that May's door reopened, but he didn't want to look away. Sora was now on the roof, setting her blanket down and then sitting on it. She undid her thermos, poured out some steaming drink and then looked up. Out of curiosity, he had looked up as well.

He had not noticed how bright the stars were that night until she had looked up.

His gloved hand clenched with the memory, banishing it back before it told him things he didn't want to know. He was a performer from France, world renown and still feared throughout most of Europe. At the end of the Swan Lake show, he held her as a part of his role of the Prince, just as he held May as Romeo. There was nothing else there, no hidden side to him except what was shown.

He was a man that liked black coffee with _only_ half a container of cream.

No more, no less.

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AN: We're not done yet! I'm not sure how long this will be, but I do know it will be one of my shorter stories.

Thank you again for the reviews! I love seeing what you like or what really got to you. It lets me know if I need to describe things better or if the emotions are getting across. :3


	4. Chapter 4

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It was no secret that something happened between the two leading stars.

Sora and Leon still performed as brilliantly as always, but the mood of _The Phantom of the Opera_ changed from heated tension to melancholy and angst. No one knew what exactly caused the change - no one, except for May, but she kept her mouth shut about it - they could only watch as Sora fell into a deeper sadness day after day for the past few weeks.

Leon drew deeper within himself, his face set into stone except when they were on stage.

Kalos may be willing to let them settle things themselves, seeing as the sales were only slightly less than before, but Ken was not inclined to sit back and wait.

_Something needs to be done._

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Over by Jonathan's pool, Sora sat on the edge with her legs half in the water.

She idly watched as the seal bumped around an inflatable beach ball and barked every so often. Wistfully, she sighed. _A seal's life seems so easy to live._ He could swim around all day playing with water toys and eating fish, not worrying about past mistakes and being constantly reminded of them every day._  
_

What she wouldn't give to be a seal.

It seemed easier than being human.

Jonathan swam up to her, his head nudging her leg. "You like being here, huh?" she asked as she petted his wet head. He barked in response. "So did I, not too long ago."

Her hand lifted away from his head to wipe the tears that slipped down her face.

She felt so pathetic, but she didn't know what else she could do. She loved the stage too much to leave and her friends were here. The Kaleido Stage is her home and she didn't want to move away from it.

But the emptiness inside her...

It was draining her love of performing.

"What should I do, Jonathan?" she whispered as the seal looked up at her. "Is there anything that can be done?" He tilted his head to one side and then the other. Jonathan barked and ducked back down into the water to play with the ball again. "Figures," she muttered.

Jonathan's answer was always to play.

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At the end of the night showing, Ken approached her.

"Are you free this Saturday?"

She blinked at the unexpected question. "Uh, well yes, outside of the Saturday showtimes."

"Yes," Ken laughed, "except for those times."

She smiled a little. He took it as an improvement.

"I have some tickets for the local theatre. They're playing _The Wizard of Oz_." Ken shifted his feet a little nervously. "Are you interested in seeing it?"

She tilted her head to the side. When was the last time she went to see something that was childish? _Far too long_. Maybe this was the fun that she needed to have right now.

"Sounds good," she beamed.

Ken let loose a shy smile.

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After that one date, they made it a habit to go out every Saturday night.

For almost two months, things were doing better.

Sora laughed and smiled; Ken could be seen with a big grin on his face.

"You didn't!" Sora exclaimed with a laugh as she sat with Ken by Jonathan's pool. Both of their feet were in the water as they snacked on some corn dogs for their lunch break.

Ken gave a half shrug. "The lady demanded a VIP seat and that was the only one available, despite my suggestions to buy another seat." He grinned. "I just failed to tell her it didn't have a back cushion."

"You're evil," Sora half scolded him as she bumped her shoulder against his arm. "So did she stay there?"

"Yep." He chewed his bite of food and then continued. "I took a peek midway through the show. Sure enough, she was sitting up super straight. I bet her back was killing her by the end of the night."

"Probably. I know mine would have if I couldn't lean back for almost two hours!"

"She insisted!" Ken reiterated with a laugh. "Who am I to deny a customer what they want?"

"Are you always this charming?" Sora asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Not always," Ken said, this time bumping his arm against hers, "just with people I really like."

Sora looked at him for a moment. He looked back, letting her see the sincerity on his face.

She bumped her shoulder against him.

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The past weeks showed improvement of Sora's performances.

Leon's, on the other hand...

There were moments of heated tension caused by the Phantom, but they quickly were pushed aside by Christine. Raoul's wooing held more sway over Christine than the first shows they had together. The emotions of the stage were more flexible with trapeze performing, the leads of the stage often setting the mood while the others followed along and reacted according to that set mood.

Leon faintly wondered at the change of mood, but did not have to wonder for too long.

In the corridor after a show, he caught sight of Ken giving Sora a bouquet of roses. Still in costume, she smiled and smelled the roses, murmuring something to the carrot top that Leon could not hear.

Then, she tilted her head up and he tilted his head down.

They kissed.

Leon left as silently as he had come.

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Out by the pier, two figures were wrapped in each other's arms.

Sora's eyes were closed as they kissed.

She liked dating Ken. He was so much more understanding of her than she thought he could be and the best part was that he wasn't doing it in order to get something from her. In the beginning, she had wondered if all guys were like Leon.

Were they just charming for their own agendas?

Or were some actually moved by affection?

She had felt terrible for thinking that way, but she had been in a dark place at the time; she couldn't recall ever being so cynical than that point of time.

She hated how she thought back then.

Her uncle and her late father most certainly were proof that there were men that acted out of affection. Her friend Jerry was another fine example - she idly wondered why she hadn't thought about those men before, but chalked it up to her previous bad mood. Even her Boss could be considered as such, though she wouldn't call him an affectionate type of man - more like an 'every once in a while' kind of guy.

And now, she could add Ken to that list.

Her fingers lightly gripped his short hair as they continued kissing. His hands stayed at her waist, though his thumbs lightly brushed her hips. His kiss was not the fire that Leon's had been, but she did not mind the softer kiss.

She was sick of heat; all it did was burn her.

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Leon watched as she twirled a lock of her hair.

He found that those two were together a lot. He didn't know what to make of it.

Ken finished talking with her and then pecked her lips. Her eyes half closed as she kissed him back, her hand going to his shoulder as she stepped close to him.

Then, the carrot top left.

"Have you wasted enough time now?" Leon dryly asked her as she walked over.

Her soft smile immediately soured. "There's more than enough time."

Leon harrumphed. "Any good performer knows that a lot can happen in five minutes." He tilted his chin up as he stared down at her. "Being here early versus late makes all the difference."

"I'm here now," she bit out and crossed her arms, "stop acting like it's a big deal."

Leon scoffed and then turned his back on her.

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AN: Oh the melodrama! :P


	5. Chapter 5

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Ken kept his hand on Sora's hip as they entered the ballroom.

The Kaleido Stage held fundraisers at least twice a year, half of the donations going to organizations such as Make-a-Wish Foundation and those in need, such as the orphanages.

"You look great," Ken said with a smile as he pulled out his date's chair.

Her hair had little pearls in her braids as the rest of her hair was left to hang down along her back. The cream and red wine dress was a halter, leaving her back exposed. She smiled at her boyfriend of four months. He was such a sweetie and a gentleman, the simple black and white tux further emphasizing those qualities.

"You look dashing," she replied with a playful wink.

Ken's cheeks tinted a little, which made her grin.

Though, the grin waned as a figure in all black caught her eye. His silver hair contrasted well against the black clothing, his customary necklace showing as he forewent a tie, leaving the top three buttons of his dress shirt undone. Sora's lips thinned a little upon seeing the beautiful brunette hanging off of his arm.

The sparkling red dress further emphasized the woman's curves and features: tiny waist, wide hips, and big chest.

In that moment, Sora felt inadequate.

A hand on hers brought her attention back to her date. "Are you ok?" Ken asked.

"Fine," she murmured, inwardly shaking herself out of her funk and plastering a smile on her face. "Just a slight headache."

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His sharp grey eyes narrowed upon seeing the two dancing.

The little pearls in her hair contrasted lovely with her red coloring, but he found himself irritated that her head was resting on Ken's shoulder. He gave a frown upon seeing the young man's hand lightly caressing her lower back and in direct contact with her skin...

"Did you want to dance?" he heard his companion ask him.

He stared for a few seconds more and then turned his gaze away from the dance floor. "Not in particular."

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As the evening progressed, the silent auction continued.

Kaleido Stage VIP tickets and package, opera tickets, magic show and dinner, the local baseball team tickets, baskets of stuffed bears and dolls, and some other odds and ends were auctioned off. People mulled around, looking at the items and writing down a bid when they saw fit.

One table held photos of the main cast members.

'Win a date with a Cast Member!' Was written in bold letters.

Ken frowned as he noticed the number of people bidding for that table. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Ken," Sora lightly patted her boyfriend's arm, "It's ok! Only those who were comfortable with the idea signed off on it. Besides, Jerry-san said he'll check up on the winners before letting the dates go through."

He hummed to that, but still kept his frown.

_I have a bad feeling about this._

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It was during Kalos' speech that Sora bumped into Leon.

The two were to appear on stage, seeing as they were the stars, but they hadn't run into each other all evening except for now. They eyed the other warily and kept their distance.

"Nice date," Sora said.

Leon raised a brow but did not respond back to that statement. Sora let out a breath and faced the stage curtains.

"Nice dress," she heard him murmur.

She whipped her head around, her red hair momentarily flying in a small arch. Her eyes were a little wide at the unexpected compliment. She parted her lips to respond, but his following statement made her frown.

"Though the choice of date leaves much to be desired."

"Don't talk about Ken like that." Her mouth down turned in disapproval. "He's a nice guy."

"Too nice, perhaps."

Her eyes darkened in anger. "Not everyone's as heartless as you."

"Not everyone's as innocent as you," he breezily responded.

"You mean, 'used to be,' " she bitterly spat out. "No thanks to you."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye, gauging something. "Is that why you're with him?" he curiously murmured. "Does he remind you of yourself, before..." he trailed off, thinking it was unnecessary to state the obvious.

Her hands fisted. "I care about him!"

"You care about the distraction he brings," he bluntly stated.

He watched as her hand lifted to slap, but yet again, it faltered before it could reach its destination. She was still clinging on to her ideal stage, the whole 'no fighting motto.' Who could dare to dream of such a thing unless they were innocent at heart?

"Don't let your fondness cloud your judgement," he murmured.

"I won't," she bit out, though she wasn't thinking along the terms he was. "For there isn't any fondness to begin with."

He caught her tone, noting that it was directed at him.

She turned forward and said no more.

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A week later, she wanted to curse Leon.

As she sat across the table from her boyfriend, she unwillingly thought about what he said regarding the reasons why she was with Ken. _Is it because his sweetness reminds me of myself before going to Leon's place?_

Was the naivety of Ken similar to how she used to be?

She reached a hand out to touch his hand, causing her boyfriend to stutter mid-sentence. She lightly frowned when his cheeks were rosy. Her hand withdrew; she could recall herself reacting so bashfully when Leon first touched her.

She couldn't decide if that thought amused or frustrated her.

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A few days later, they got in an argument.

"I just need a break for a while," Sora tiredly said. "I'm not saying I don't care about you anymore."

Ken crossed his arms. "If you don't want to be together anymore, just say so instead of stringing me along." He frowned as he looked to the side. "I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime."

"What?"

Ken lightly rolled his eyes at her oblivious expression. "Come on, Sora. You can drop the act. I know that's what you've been doing these past years. You like to tease; I get it." He stood up and grabbed his jacket. "But a guy can only take so much teasing without getting anything in return."

"...Ken. What are you talking about?"

He gave her a dubious look. "Maybe we do need that break."

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AN: Oh relationships...Maybe we should all just be seals and play in the water. XP


End file.
